Mediterranean Artichoke Salad

This winter does not seem to be ending anytime soon. And although I love winter and all its beauty, I think it’s been too many months of hearty dishes and one too many extra pounds to keep us warm! Summer time is when I’m most inspired to make fresh, light salads using seasonal vegetables or gems from Mom’s garden. Even though it’s not quite summer yet, I felt like bringing summer into the kitchen with this quick and easy Mediterranean Artichoke Salad. You won’t believe how easy and flavorful it is!

I had a salad similar to this a few years ago at a restaurant, which consisted of artichokes, bell peppers, and feta. It was good, but I was inspired to make it at home and tweak it to my own taste. I wanted more vegetable variety, so I added cucumber, tomatoes, ad hearts of palm. Persian cucumbers give the salad crunch and a refreshing flavor. Tomatoes add some sweetness and their juice, combined with olive oil and salt, makes the light dressing for the salad. Last, I decided to add hearts of palm. Hearts of Palm are sourced from the inner portion of a cabbage palm tree stem. You can find them canned in most supermarkets. They are firm in texture and their flavor is similar to that of an artichoke, and in this salad they add brightness and texture.

Feta cheese is a salty addition to this salad, while also acting as the creamy dressing when it mixes with the juice of the vegetables and olive oil. I used a Bulgarian Feta that is fairly inexpensive, yet still rich in flavor. This salad is so quick to make and you can easily adjust it to your liking. You can add fresh herbs, some lettuce or greens, or your favorite nuts or dried fruit. You can enjoy this salad on its own, top it with a piece of chicken or fish for a more complete meal, or serve it as a beautiful side at your next dinner party! No matter what way you have it, it will cure your winter blues for a bit and have you desperately awaiting summer months!

Check out the recipe below!

Mediterranean Artichoke Salad

Prep Time: 15 minutes     Cook Time: None     Yields: 4 main or 8 side servings

Ingredients:

• 1 can artichoke hearts, sliced into bite-size pieces
• 1 can hearts of palm, sliced
• 2 plum tomatoes, chopped
• 2 persian cucumbers, chopped
• 1/4 cup feta, crumbled
• Olive Oil
• Salt

Instructions:

In a large bowl, combine all the vegetables and lightly toss. Crumble the feta over the salad, drizzle with olive oil, and add salt to taste. Lightly toss until combined. Serve immediately.

To make this salad in advance, prepare all the ingredients, but toss with the feta, olive oil, and salt right before serving. This will ensure the vegetables stay crunchy and the salt does not draw a lot of juice out of the vegetables.

Enjoy! Make sure to snap a picture when you make this and tag me so I can see your delicious photos!